Card tray with adjustable follower



5, 1963 w. F. REGENHARDT CARD TRAY WITH ADJUSTABLE FOLLQWER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 7, 1960 Fig. 6

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1963 w. F. REGENHARDT CARD TRAY WITH ADJUSTABLE FOLLOWER 2 Sheets-Sheei 2 Filed March 7. 1960 Fig. 3

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United States Patent 3,109,432 CARD TRAY WITH ADJUSTAELE FGLLQWER Walter F. Regenhardt, 7231 Enceiia Drive, La lolla, Calif. Filed Mar. 7, 19:50, Ser. No. 69539 4- Claims. (Cl. 13-31) The present invention relates generally to card filing means and more particularly to a card tray with dual adjustable followers. This application is a continuationin-part of my application for patent on one-piece follower for file, drawer, filed March 7, 1955, Serial No. 492,533, now abandoned.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a card tray having open ends and utilizing two adjustable followers in opposed relation to hold a quantity of cards or the like, therebetween, each follower being lockable in any desired position, along the length of the tray.

Another object of this invention is to provide a card tray in which the followers are frictionally locked against longitudinal displacement and are retained in generally upright position by integral stop portions.

Another object of this invention is to provide a card tray in which the followers can also be locked in a storage position completely within the tray.

A further object of this invention is to provide a card tray which is adaptable forntanufacture as a simple extrusion and can be cut to any desired length.

Finally, it is an object to provide a card tray assembly of the aforementioned character which is simple and convenient to use and which will give generally efficient and durable service.

With these and other objects definitely in view, this invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions, as will be hereinafter described in the specification, particularly pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the drawings which form a material part of this disclosure, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the card tray and followers;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation view of one follower;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevation view of the card tray with a portion shown in section;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional View taken on the line 4-4, show ng one follower locked and the other free;

FIGURE. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FiGURE 4, showing one follower in storage position; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 66 of FIGURE 3.

Similar characters of reference indicate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and through the views of the drawings.

The card tray 10 is preferably rnade from a light material, such as aluminum alloy or the like, and may be eX- trudcd in any desired length, the structure including a generally flat base plate 12 having upwardly extending, parallel side walls 14. The base plate 12, at its junction with the side walls 14, has downwardly thickened, longitudinally extending feet 16 on which the tray rests. The upper edges of the side walls 14 have inwardly and downwardly turned flanges 18 defining longitudinally extending, narrow channels 20.

In the tray 16 are two identical followers 22, one of which will be described in detail. The follower 22 comprises a substantially flat back plate 24 at each end of which is a flat, disc-like cam 26 fixed perpendicularly to the back plate adjacent the lower edge thereof, said cams being parallel to each other and spaced to ride in the channels while resting on the base plate 12 in close, parallel relation to the side walls 14. The back plate 24 extends chordally across the cams 26 so that the leading 3,10%,432 Patented Nov. 5, l63

6.:1 portion 23 of each cam, ahead of said back plate, is considerably larger than the trailing portion 30 thereof. In other words, the back plate is chordally rather than diametrically disposed with reference to the cams so that the back plate is offset from the center line of the follower to improve the stability of the follower in its operative, locked position. The rear face of the back plate 24 is provided with reinforcing, including a transverse top flange 32, a cross rib 34 interconnecting the earns 26 and upright ribs 36 between said cross rib and said top flange. The arrangement of the reinforcing structure is merely exemplary and may be varied considerably to provide the necessary rigidity in the follower 22, which can be molded as a unit from plastic material.

Each of the earns 26 is ovoid, having a completely curvilinear edge 38 the major portion of which is of a radius R1, as illustrated in FIGURE 2, the remaining minor portion being of a slightly greater radius R2 and ct using a fiatteningof the periphery from that of a true circle, the minor flattened portion, indicated at 49, extending substantially equally on opposite sides of the back plate 24 and constituting approximately one quarter of the entire periphery. It should be understood that the curvilinear edge 38 need not be composed of true arcnate portions, the essential characteristic being a slight flattening of one portion to provide a minor width of the cams 26 slightly less than the major width. The center of the portion which will be arbitrarily nominated the minor width is substantially on a plane passing through the center of each cam 26 and through the periphery at its intersection with the plane of the back plate 24, the minor width being generally indicated by the positioning of the arrow R2 in FIGURE 2, and being only very slightly less than the major width, so that a definite, jamming type, locking action is achieved and at no time can the cams be disengaged from the channels 20.

'In the present, improved form ofthis invention, the lower edge of the back plate 24 extends radially beyond the periphery of cams 26 and forms a stop edge 42 for engagement with the base plate 12 at the same time as said major width of the cams is jammed in the channels 20. Each cam 26 has a very small protuberance or lobe 44 projecting from the edge 38 of leading portion 28, the lobe being at a point on the periphery of the cam remote from the back plate 24.

The two followers 22 are inserted in the tray it) with the flat faces of back plates 24 facing each other and are retained by small retaining pins 46 press fitted into the ends of channels 29, as in FIGURE 4. Each follower 22 is locked in place with the back plate 24 generally upright, the upper portion of the back plate being tilted slightly outwardly from the vertical, the stop edge 42 engaging the base plate 12 to limit the manual movement of the follower in one direction and to hold the follower in this position. The curvilinear edges 38 rest on the base plate 12 and against the inside of channels 20 across the major width of cams 26, the major width being very slightly greater than the distance between said base plate and said channels. Since the earns 26 have a certain inherent resiliency, the cams are jammed securely in place to hold the follower 22 against longitudinal displacement.

By tilting the back plate 24- inwardly, the flattened portions are moved upwardly into the channels 2i), providing a slight clearance between curvilinear edges 33 and said channels and allowing the followers 22 to be shifted longitudinally to any desired position, as indicated at the left of FIGURE 4. The degree of tilt is exaggerated for clarity, a slight tilting being sufficient to rotate the flattened portion iii to a clearance position. In FIG- URE 6, the cam '26 is indicated in locked position in full line and in released position in broken line, to illustrate area,

3 the rotation of flattened portion is tilted.

In normal use, one follower 22 is locked in place adjacent one end of the tray 1t} and serves as a back stop, the other'follower then being adjusted as necessary to hold a quantity of file cards or other matter placed between the followers. Since both followers 22 are, however, adjustable, filed matter can be added to or removed from either end of the tray and the appropriate follower adjusted to suit, without the need for shifting the entire stack of filed matter as is often necessary in fixed end drawers. The combination is thus a versatile, easily adjustable filing tray which can be placed in any drawer of suitable size and is readily portable for use on a desk when necessary.

As a further feature, the followers 22 can be lowered for storage or shipping purposes and are securely locked in the stored position, indicated in FIGURE 5. When the back plate 24 is substantially horizontal, the lobes 44' are brought to bear against the base plate 12 and provide a tight wedging of cams 26.

In the followers 22, locking action in upright or stored position is due to the relative dimensioning and shape of earns 26 and the slight inherent resiliency thereof, the stop edges 42 of the followers functioning as convenient limiters to aid in positioning the followers so that the back plates 24' are in their near upright position, with the cams in the desired locking position. The followers are, however, sel-f-locking and capable in themselves to hold the followers and the locking is independent of the weight of any filed matter in the tray.

The resiliency of the cams is an important feature because this resiliency makes it possible to secure a cornpletely satisfactory jamming locking action of the cams, repeatable indefinitely, and the stop edges 42 cooperate therewith to limit rotation of the follower in one direction thus avoiding unnecessary wear and abuse of the cams.

Except for the retaining pins 46, which may be of readily available type such as plated nails or the like, the entire structure is composed of only three parts, a unitary tray 10 made as an extrusion and two unitary followers 22, which are conveniently injection molded from plastic material. Manufacture is thus simplified and cost is reduced to a minimum, the assembly being limited to insertion of the followers into the tray and driving the retaining pins 46 into the ends of channels 20.

The operation of this invention will be clearly comill when the follower prehended from a consideration of the foregoing description of the mechanical details thereof, taken in connection with the drawings and the above recited objects. It will be obvious that all said objects are amply achieved by this invention.

It is understood that minor variation from the form of the invention disclosed herein may be made without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that the specification and drawings are to be considered as merely illustrative rather than limiting.

I claim:

1. A filing tray, and at least one follower adjustably mounted in said tray;

said tray having a base plate and a pair of generally upright, parallel side walls;

each of said side walls having a longitudinally extending, downwardly turned flange on the upper edge thereof defining a downwardly open channel;

said follower being unitary and comprising a generally rigid back plate;

a cam at each end of said back plate;

said cams being parallel and spaced apart a distance equal to the distance between said channels and being disposed in said channels and slideable in said channels, longitudinally thereof, with said back plate extending transversely of the tray;

each of said cams being ovoid and having an entirely curvilinear edge with a minor width of the cam being greater than the spacing between said base plate and the adjacent or lower edge of the corresponding said flange, and slightly less than the spacing between said base plate and the root of said channels, whereby said cams are free to slide longitudinally when said follower is disposed in one position relative to the tray while still being retained in said channels;

the major width of said cams having only very small excess dimension over said minor width and being only slightly greater than the spacing between said base plate and the root of said channels, whereby said cams are in frictionally jammed position between said base plate and said flanges when the major width thereof is manually forced between the base plate and said flanges defining said channels, said back plate being disposed on chords of said cams which are substantially parallel to the axes through said major width and having a stop edge extending radially beyond said cams, said stop edge engaging said base plate when the back plate is in near upright position and the cams are in said frictionally jammed position to define a locked position of the follower; the leading portions of said cams on one side of said back plate being substantially larger than the trailing portions on the other side of said back plate, and

the back plate, including said stop edge, being thereby offset from said major width for improved stability of the follower in the locked position thereof.

2. A combination according to claim 1 wherein said tray is a unitary extrusion; each end of each of said channels having a retaining pin frictionally secured therein to retain said followers in the tray.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein said cams are slightly resilient.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said cams have each a small lobe radially outwardly projecting at points remote from said back plate, whereby when said back plate is substantially parallel to said base pl-ate said lobes bear against the base plate and lock the follower in the tray for purposes of storage and shipment of the follower and tray assembly.

References filed in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS llegenhardt June 19, 1951 

1. A FILING TRAY, AND AT LEAST ONE FOLLOWER ADJUSTABLY MOUNTED IN SAID TRAY; SAID TRAY HAVING A BASE PLATE AND A PAIR OF GENERALLY UPRIGHT, PARALLEL SIDE WALLS; EACH OF SAID SIDE WALLS HAVING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING, DOWNWARDLY TURNED FLANGE ON THE UPPER EDGE THEREOF DEFINING A DOWNWARDLY OPEN CHANNEL; SAID FOLLOWER BEING UNITARY AND COMPRISING A GENERALLY RIGID BACK PLATE; A CAM AT EACH END OF SAID BACK PLATE; SAID CAMS BEING PARALLEL AND SPACED APART A DISTANCE EQUAL TO THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID CHANNELS AND BEING DISPOSED IN SAID CHANNELS AND SLIDEABLE IN SAID CHANNELS, LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF, WITH SAID BACK PLATE EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE TRAY; EACH OF SAID CAMS BEING OVOID AND HAVING AN ENTIRELY CURVILINEAR EDGE WITH A MINOR WIDTH OF THE CAM BEING GREATER THAN THE SPACING BETWEEN SAID BASE PLATE AND THE ADJACENT OR LOWER EDGE OF THE CORRESPONDING SAID FLANGE, AND SLIGHTLY LESS THAN THE SPACING BETWEEN SAID BASE PLATE AND THE ROOT OF SAID CHANNELS, WHEREBY SAID CAMS ARE FREE TO SLIDE LONGITUDINALLY WHEN SAID FOLLOWER IS DISPOSED IN ONE POSITION RELATIVE TO THE TRAY WHILE STILL BEING RETAINED IN SAID CHANNELS; THE MAJOR WIDTH OF SAID CAMS HAVING ONLY VERY SMALL EXCESS DIMENSION OVER SAID MINOR WIDTH AND BEING ONLY SLIGHTLY GREATER THAN THE SPACING BETWEEN SAID BASE PLATE AND THE ROOT OF SAID CHANNELS, WHEREBY SAID CAMS ARE IN FRICTIONALLY JAMMED POSITION BETWEEN SAID BASE PLATE AND SAID FLANGES WHEN THE MAJOR WIDTH THEREOF IS MANUALLY FORCED BETWEEN THE BASE PLATE AND SAID FLANGES DEFINING SAID CHANNELS, SAID BACK PLATE BEING DISPOSED ON CHORDS OF SAID CAMS WHICH ARE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE AXES THROUGH SAID MAJOR WIDTH AND HAVING A STOP EDGE EXTENDING RADIALLY BEYOND SAID CAMS, SAID STOP EDGE ENGAGING SAID BASE PLATE WHEN THE BACK PLATE IS IN NEAR UPRIGHT POSITION AND THE CAMS ARE IN SAID FRICTIONALLY JAMMED POSITION TO DEFINE A LOCKED POSITION OF THE FOLLOWER; THE LEADING PORTIONS OF SAID CAMS ON ONE SIDE OF SAID BACK PLATE BEING SUBSTANTIALLY LARGER THAN THE TRAILING PORTIONS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID BACK PLATE, AND THE BACK PLATE, INCLUDING SAID STOP EDGE, BEING THEREBY OFFSET FROM SAID MAJOR WIDTH FOR IMPROVED STABILITY OF THE FOLLOWER IN THE LOCKED POSITION THEREOF. 